In This Section

Welcome

As the parent of two Pace students and three alumni, and as a classroom teacher, a member of our administrative team and a next-door neighbor, I interact daily with engaged and energized young people. A community of classmates, faculty, staff, and parents supports and loves each of these students. And when you know you’re loved, you’re free to THINK BIG.

Yes, our college-placement success and other statistics rank Pace among the nation's finest schools, our athletics and arts programs are second-to-none, and we’re creating innovators in the classroom and around the world. But what truly matters at Pace are the relationships created here—the day-to-day interactions that instill character and change lives.

I invite you to spend time with the Pace family. Make plans to visit our campus and tour our state-of-the-art facilities, interact with our students, observe our teachers, experience the depth of our programs and ask questions. Pace has been the best decision of my life, and I look forward to showing you why.

Fred Assaf
Head of School

The members of our administrative team bring diverse experiences and expertise to their leadership roles at Pace.

They are artists and athletes, musicians and mathematicians, coaches and teachers, scholars, philanthropists, world travelers and former business leaders. Their interests and skills vary, but they share a common love for their school home. Together, they strive to live Pace’s motto: To have the courage to strive for excellence.

Fred Assaf, Head of SchoolSyreeta Moseley, Head of Lower SchoolGraham Anthony, Head of Middle SchoolMichael Gannon, Head of Upper SchoolSean Bryan, Chair of Visual and Performing ArtsAJ Lashley, Chief Financial OfficerJennifer McGurn, Director of AdmissionsHeather White, Director of AdvancementTroy Baker, Director of AthleticsJonathan Ferrell, Director of College CounselingCaitlin Jones '00, Director of CommunicationsJoanne Brown, Director of Diversity and InclusionDave Fortier, Director of FacilitiesTrish Anderson, Director of the Isdell Center for Global LeadershipMarla Read Capper, Director of Professional Development and Curriculum StudiesNeil DeRosa, Technology CoordinatorKaitlyn Fortier, Assistant to the Head of School

Pace Academy Head of School Fred Assaf has been described as a feverish multi-tasker who always makes time for students, parents, faculty and school events. Before coming to Pace in 2005, he served five years as principal at La Salle College High School in Philadelphia. He took the school through a strategic planning process, revamped the service learning program, and positioned La Salle as a regional model for wireless campuses and a national model for faculty laptop initiatives.

Fred enjoys working in an environment that values so many aspects of education. "Pace Academy is a school that understands that excellence is rooted in more than academics, athletics, arts and service," Fred says. "The experience of being known by your teachers, your classmates, your friends and their parents gives Pace students an edge."

Fred holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins, where he also played varsity football, and an M.Ed. from University of Virginia. He earned the 1992 Outstanding Graduate Student Award at the University of Virginia. Before becoming principal at La Salle, Fred served as a dean of faculty, taught English and coached lacrosse at Miller School of Albemarle. In addition, he has taught in three other independent schools and coached football, lacrosse and track. Fred earned the 2005 President's Medal from La Salle.

Fred loves spending time with his family. The Pennsylvania native and his wife, Martha, have five sons: three Pace alumnus and two current Pace students. Fred also enjoys basketball, golf, technology and community service.

For good reason, Fred is excited about the Pace faculty. "It is a tremendous honor to serve the Pace community alongside such a talented group of educators who are dedicated to their craft," he says. In addition to his duties as Head of School, Fred teaches an Upper School English class. "My classroom is a place where we can engage literature," he says. "We learn to understand the context of that literature and learn to write about literature. We stretch our learning about reading, writing and thinking in ways that benefit us for the rest of our lives."